


Fear School

by Statementends (Blueberryshortcake)



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Children, Archivist Jonathan Sims, Elias Bouchard is the worst, Fear School, Friendship, Gen, Implied Harm to Children, Protective Gerry, Protective Martin, Protective but disaster prone Jonathan Sims, institutionalization, lonely martin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:54:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22359085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueberryshortcake/pseuds/Statementends
Summary: On the surface the Magnus Institute might seem like a normal school for children that have fallen through society's cracks. However nine-year-old Jonathan Sims is soon going to learn about its dark secrets and the dark plans it has for its children.
Relationships: Gerard Keay & Jonathan Sims, Martin Blackwood & Jonathan Sims
Comments: 9
Kudos: 119





	Fear School

Begin Transcript

**Elias Bouchard, Headmaster of the Magnus Institute:**

Recorded notes of Elias Bouchard, Headmaster of the Magnus Institute for Juvenile Delinquency, London regarding the intake of subject I8.

Subject: Jonathan Sims, male, nine years of age, category W. 

Jonathan was one of our more difficult acquisitions. Although he might be classified as a more … challenging child due to his intelligence he is nowhere near the level of trouble some of our acquisitions pose. No history of juvenile delinquency. I had to… grease the wheel so to speak to procure him. 

He was quite the find. It’s so rare that the web leave threads hanging unless the threads are deliberately cut. He might be a trap or gift of course. So hard to tell with the spiders. Perhaps it’s a bit of both. He doesn’t strike me as particularly manipulative. Despite being rather… brash and opinionated he doesn’t bend those around him to his whims. Quite the opposite from my observations, but then a master manipulator wouldn’t be obvious I suppose. If he does develop it will be interesting to see his growth. Our last web avatar, B3 well… we all remember Annabelle. 

**(Mr. Bouchard pauses here for a few moments)**

I think he’s something else though. Something exciting. I shouldn’t get my hopes up, but… he might be what I’ve been looking for. 

Attached is audio of his introduction to the other children. I think it should be obvious what has piqued my interest. 

End Transcript

* * *

Mr. Bouchard led him down the dark hallways of the Magnus Institute. He didn’t hold his hand like some of the social workers previously had tried to. Usually he would have counted it as a point in the headmaster’s favour, but he was feeling so uneasy. He shivered and looked behind him.

“Is something the matter Jonathan?” Mr. Bouchard asked kindly. He didn’t strike Jon as a kind person, but he had acted kind which was better than people that weren’t and didn’t act like it.

“I thought there was someone there,” Jon said. He felt a chill. Tried not to imagine spider legs behind one of the many doors they passed. 

“Ah, a lot of people feel like that here. It’s an old building. Buildings with history have a gravatas.”

“Gravatas.” Jon filed the word away for future use. 

“Weight,” Mr. Bouchard explained. Jon figured he meant something like that. 

Jon didn’t think it was the gravatas. 

All the doors were painted a deep green except for one which was a bright cheerful yellow. His stomach rolled at seeing it, both in fear and curiosity. He was about to ask but the hall ended and Mr. Bouchard had opened a door ushering him through. 

There was a gang of children of various ages in various places doing various things. Playing, Jon supposed. 

Jon took a step back, hiding a bit behind Mr. Bouchard. 

“Children, come around, I have a new friend to introduce.” Mr. Bouchard kept his voice light an airy, like Jon’s old teacher, but it didn’t suit him. The children begrudgingly moved away from their various projects and gathered in a loose semi circle. Most of them didn’t seem particularly enthused at his arrival. 

“Everyone, this is Jonathan Sims. He’ll be joining our program.” Elias gestured at the other children starting with a small asian girl who looked particularly unimpressed with him. Sizing him up. She was near another girl with flaming red hair who looked uninterested in the proceedings. 

“This is Jude, Agnes, Jared, Mike, Oliver, Jane, Manuella, Julia, and--where’s Gerard?”

Some of the children laughed. Oliver looked around at the others, but seeing as none of them were saying anything, sighed.

“He ran away again. Mr. Fairchild said ‘he had him.’” 

Mr. Bouchard took a deep breath, annoyed and trying to hide it. “You’ll meet Gerard later then. 

Jon waited, but Mr. Bouchard seemed to be done with introductions.

“Perhaps Oliver can show you--”

“What about him?” Jon asked. 

“Pardon?”

“What about him,” Jon repeated. He pointed at the large boy just on the outskirts of the semi-circle. He looked Jon’s age, but was much bigger physically. His glasses were scotch taped to hold them together. 

“Oh--ah, pardon me.”

Jon looked up. Mr. Bouchard was looking down at him. There was a weird look in his eyes… interest? Hunger? Jon didn’t like it.

“How could I forget Martin?” Mr. Bouchard laughed, as if it was a little joke. The other children all looked towards Martin as well. Everyone in the room seemed surprised, most of all Martin himself who was staring at Jon, his eyes so wide. It made Jon uncomfortable. 

“He’s still here?” Jude asked loudly. “I thought he died or something.” 

“Jude.” Mr. Bouchard rebuked. He cleared his throat. “Oliver, why don’t you show Jon around.”

“I-I could,” Martin blurted.

The others snickered at his obvious embarrassment which made Jon embarrassed as well. 

“Oliver?” Mr. Bouchard prompted, ignoring Martin. 

“Alright,” Oliver shrugged. Out of all of them, besides Martin, Oliver gave the least aggressive vibes. There was something extremely unsettling about him though. Jon looked back to where Martin was standing, but he had already gone off, shoulders slumped.

“I’ll leave you here then Jon.” Mr. Bouchard smiled down at him, but unlike the ones before this one seemed genuine. Jon wasn’t sure why Mr. Bouchard’s opinion of him might have changed. And he wasn’t sure if it was a good thing. 


End file.
